As the 2025 summer/fall harness racing season at Batavia Downs gets underway on Saturday, July 26 a new era at the oldest lighted harness track in North America will begin as the facility itself celebrates 85 years since holding its first pari-mutuel harness race back on Sept. 20, 1940.
After Byron Brown took over as President and CEO of Western Regional Off Track Betting in October of 2024, he made a commitment to a focused strategy of bringing more people to the track to enjoy live racing. And as a result of that commitment, many subsequent actions were quickly put into place this year to ensure an improved experience for everyone, and it started right at the top.
Nicole Fortes was introduced as the new Director of Live Racing at Batavia Downs in May and she was charged with leading the initiative of expanded exposure and customer engagement of the racing product.
Fortes is a 31-year associate of WROTB and was the Director of Intertrack Wagering in her most recent position there. She has a depth of knowledge of, and passion for, harness racing and brings new energy to the promotion and growth of the sport not only to existing customers, but with a forward vision of engaging a younger demographic.
“I’m very excited to welcome our race fans back to the track and hope to welcome some new fans as well. We have a fantastic season of racing planned for those joining us on-track and everyone watching on our simulcast outlets,” said Fortes.
The Downs made another investment in the product in May when it brought in one of the best track specialists in North America, Gary Wolff, to evaluate and oversee the resurfacing of the legendary Genesee County oval in order to make it not only the safest half-mile strip in the state, but also the fastest. Wolff, who is a Western New York native, has been maintaining, designing and resurfacing racetracks across North America for more than 50 years and has been the track superintendent at The Meadowlands since 2008. So the local horses racing week to week at this meet will benefit greatly from Wolff’s expertise as a result.
“We invested nearly $300,000 USD into improvements and upgrades during the off-season, including a complete refurbishing of the racetrack for the first time in 10 years. Batavia Downs has become an entertainment destination with live racing a key component of that,” said Brown.
Another group of horses that will also enjoy the new racing surface are the best New York-bred 2 and 3-year-old trotters and pacers who compete in the New York Sire Stakes, as Batavia Downs will once again be hosting the $2.4 USD million NYSS Night of Champions Finals on Saturday, Sept. 6. This will be the second time the track has hosted this most prestigious event and it promises to be the biggest night of racing in Western New York since 2019.
This year’s schedule starts with a Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday rotation that will run through the middle of August. Then it switches to Wednesday, Friday, Saturday for the remainder of the year. All first post times will be at 6 p.m. except Labour Day (Sept. 1) which will be a 1:15 p.m. matinee.
There is a robust stake schedule in place, featuring eight preliminary divisions of the New York Sire Stakes that will be contested at The Downs, offering $691,000 USD in purses. Those races will be held on:
- Saturday, July 26
- Thursday, July 31
- Thursday, Aug. 7
- Thursday, Aug. 14
- Wednesday, Aug. 20
- Saturday, Aug. 23 (when two divisions will go postward)
- Wednesday, Aug. 27
- Saturday, Sept. 6 (NYSS Night of Champions)
Saturday, August 23 will also mark the return of Batavia Downs’ signature race, the $100,000 USD Robert J. Kane Memorial Invitational Pace. This race annually draws some of the finest Open class pacers in North America and has produced the all-time track pacing record in 2022 when American Dealer N scorched the track in 1:50.2.
The wagering menu has something for everyone. On a 10-race program, besides win, place and show in every race, there will be three daily doubles, 10 exactas, 10 trifectas, nine superfectas, two Pick-3’s, two Pick-4’s, one Pick-5 and one Jackpot Super High Five, all with low minimum wagers.
The top drivers in Western New York will all be returning, led by Batavia Downs' driving champion from last year, Drew Monti. Monti also just won the driving title at the recently-completed Buffalo meet and currently sits eighth for wins at Plainridge Park in Massachusetts. He will be looking to defend his title against fellow reinsmen Jim Morrill Jr., Kevin Cummings, Joe Chindano Jr., Dave McNeight III, Kyle Cummings and Jim McNeight Jr., along with many others.
Returning training leaders will be headed by last year’s Batavia champion, Sam Smith, who also won the title at Buffalo this spring. He too will try to repeat at The Downs against the likes of Chris Petrelli, Shawn McDonough, Tammy Cummings and Maria Rice, who rounded out Batavia’s top five trainers in 2024.
Batavia Downs will continue to provide free downloadable full past performance racing programs on the website at bataviadownsgaming.com under the live racing tab. The Batavia Downs YouTube channel will also furnish free live streaming of all the races every night.
There are several promotions on opening night.
The action on the track will be highlighted by the New York Sire Stakes as the series will be making its first stop at Batavia when state-bred three-year-old pacing fillies line up to compete for $103,000 USD in purses.
There is also a big winning opportunity for bettors with a possible large payout the first night. Due to the cancellation of the February 24 card of racing that closed out the winter meet, there is a $4,250.57 carryover that will be a mandatory payout in the Jackpot Hi-5 wager. That pool will also be guaranteed at $7,500 through the United States Trotting Association’s Strategic Wagering program.
Losing tickets there can be redeemed with the Lotta Cash Giveaway, where customers can deposit non-winning tickets wagered on Batavia Downs in a box located at the Winner’s Circle. One winning ticket will be drawn after races two through six and each of those winners will receive a $50 cash betting voucher. The Grand Prize-winning ticket will be drawn after the tenth race and that winner will receive a $250 cash betting voucher along with a Batavia Downs Gaming Stay & Play package.
Free printed programs will also be available at the track on opening night.
There are four promotions that will be available all year, along with another that is making its return.
- The Early Bird Daily Double offers $10 in Free Play if wagering at least $10 at the same time on the Early Daily Double.
- Wednesday’s Non-Winning Ticket Promo invites customers to deposit non-winning tickets wagered on Batavia Downs' races into a drawing box to be eligible to win a Batavia Downs Stay and Play package.
- The Wednesday Finale lets customers earn $25 in Free Play with a $25 wager on the last race at Batavia Downs.
- And finally, there’s the popular Match Play Free Play Frenzy. Every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Labour Day Monday, wager $25 at the same time on the same race and receive $25 in Free Play. Wagers must be made on the Batavia Downs race card.
After a one-year sabbatical, the Labour Day Driver’s Bike Race will be back on Monday, Sept. 1. Patrons entering the races will receive an entry slip to guess which bicycle-riding harness driver will win. Following the bicycle race, names will be drawn at random from the box of the winning driver and those selected will each win one of the bikes used in the race.
And then there’s Batavia’s newest promotion, the Facebook Photo, that will be available on any day Batavia Downs races. Patrons that post a picture of themselves or their group by the fence of the racetrack with the infield behind them to the Batavia Downs Racetrack Facebook page will be automatically entered into a drawing to win a Batavia Downs Racing package. One winner will be selected monthly.
Patrons must be at least 21 years of age and a member of Players Club to be eligible for all these promotions. Complete rules are available at the track.
Finally, there will be no shortage of food and beverage choices at Batavia Downs as the Clubhouse and Rail Bar, Fortunes Restaurant, 34 Rush and The Homestretch Grill will all be open on all race days.
For more information on these and all events taking place at Batavia Downs this year, visit the track's website at bataviadownsgaming.com or its Facebook page.
(Batavia Downs)